Overview

• Police discovered the injured seal at the Elbe shore in Hamburg-Othmarschen after witnesses alerted authorities late Friday.
• Fire department crews removed the over-100-kilogram mammal from the water following the police report.
• Rescuers initially sought to transfer the seal to a local animal shelter but ultimately brought it to the Schwanenvater for care.
• A Hamburg Fire Department spokesman reported that the seal sustained only a minor flipper injury.
• Authorities note that seal appearances in the Elbe are uncommon and reflect expanded protocols for urban wildlife emergencies.